It seems that the hard work is over. The Knicks off-season appears to be more or less set, following Jalen Brunsonand Isaiah Hartenstein'ssignature, and Mitchell Robinson's re-signature.
Post Zack Brasilla gives five thoughts on President Leon Rose's achievements to date.
Gradual progress
Knicks is better, but how good. They met the most pressing needs of the point guard (Branson)and added some versatility in advance (Hartenstein), but it does not put them in serious controversy. .. Hopefully — if Branson and RJ Barrett, the cornerstone of the franchise, move forward as a star, and if the mysterious Julius Randle rediscovers his 2020-21 form, Hartenstein will explode on more occasions. If so, if the player in the role behind it is better — this is still a team It's not in the elite of the Eastern Conference. The loaded Celtics, Heat, 76ers, and Bucks remain the team to win in the east. The Hawks following the Dejounte Murray trade and the improved Cavaliers are both excellent on paper. And theKevin Durant Sweepstakescould vault someone else into a higher-tier mix such as the Raptors. No doubt, Knicks should be more competitive. The play-in-round spots are very real. But for this currently-structured roster, anything over 7 seeds would be great.
Randall's Conundrum
Two years after becoming one of the best players in the NBA, Randall You will be asked to: He makes major adjustments. He doesn't use the ball very much, which could reduce his production. Playmakers like Branson can release Randall, but it also means a new way for the positive play of bruises that they are accustomed to creating, despite high turnover. Branson, Randall and Barrett are all good below the 3-point line, and non-shooting center Mitchell Robinson also clogs the paint, so there's also a spacing issue.
Shooting Question
Knicks at Alec Burks to create enough salary cap space to land Branson We exchanged percentages of the top three point shooters, and this is the team that was 13th in the league with a 3 point shoot rate a year ago. Branson, a 37.3% career shooter who can create an open look for his teammates, is clearly helpful. But the Knicks need more from young players if Quentin Grimes and Cam Reddish remain on the team, and they should get more chances. Immanuel Quickley, who is likely to play primarily off the ball next year, confirmed that his shot rate dropped from 38.9 percent to 34.6 percent. So the improvement from him is not a crazy question. It may be a Knicks essential.
Branson made the right decision
I noticed a lot of criticism of this move that Knicks was overpaying for good players. rice field. Branson, who agreed to a four-year $ 104 million deal on Thursday night, won't make them a title candidate. That he is not the top 5 point guard in the league. I'm not here to oppose any of these ideas. But what he is doing is to make this team better. He will probably vault them into the play-in tournament. Unless Knicks adds a superstar, there is this notion of what the points are. Well, unless you've been in a coma for years, you understand that the NBA is run by the stars. They decide where to play, regardless of the contract status. I think Barrett will be second in the title candidates and Branson will be third. The way to get first place is to make yourself more attractive and create a culture of victory. player. This is Jalen Brunson. He makes Knicks better. Perhaps his breakout postseason averaged 21.6 points in 18 games, a sign that young players are really ready to play. In any case, as ESPN analyst Jeff Van Gundy told me, "he's an important player in the NBA,"Knicks needs as many people as possible.
Two moves left
Knicks could use another wing after defeating Burke, and Barrett was eligible for the Rookie Max contract. It's an activity I can see going on to end the off-season. Barrett's class players (Zion Williamson, Ja Morant, Darius Garland) are reported to have agreed to the Rookie Max Extension. Barrett, who is constantly improving, could receive up to $ 185 million in transactions over five years. As for the position of the wings, Knicks currently has few bullets, reddish ones, etc. I need a veteran. Scorer TJ Warren, who suffered an injury from one of the top unsigned players in the free-agent market last year in just four Pacers games due to a stress fracture in his left leg, could be a valuable gambling. there is.
